Sunderland sign Zenit forward Isidor on loan

Wilson Isidor won the Russian league and cup double on loan at Zenit St petersburg last season

Sunderland have signed forward Wilson Isidor from Zenit St Petersburg on a season-long loan.

The 23-year-old France youth international has moved from the Russian club in a deal with an option to make the move permanent next summer.

Isidor developed under current Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris, who was a youth coach at Rennes, but the player never appeared in a first-team game for the Ligue 1 side before moving on to Monaco and then Lokomotov Moscow.

He equalled a Russian league record by scoring in each of his first six games for the club but last season moved to rivals Zenit on loan.

Isidor played 21 times for Zenit last term, when they won the Russian Premier League and national cup, before making the move permanent this summer.

He made just five substitute appearances in the current campaign, scoring twice, before Sunderland made their move.

The addition of Isidor comes with the club on the brink of losing star attacking player Jack Clarke, who is expected to sign for Premier League side Ipswich Town in a £15m deal.

Black Cats sporting director Kristjaan Speakman told the club website: "Wilson's a mobile and athletic forward, who possesses senior experience and a healthy goalscoring record at the top level.

"We feel he's a good fit with our playing identity and he has the attributes to help the team in forward areas."